│ SECTION III.――_Further │ demonstration of the vanity │ of human labour from │ considerations touching │ Providence and Morals._ │ TO every _thing there is_ │ TO everything is there a a season, and a time to every │ determined period, and a time purpose under the heaven: │ for every providence under │ heaven. (1.) =To all= (human life, that is) is a =season= (זמן, this word occurs here and Nehemiah ii. 6, Esther xi. 27, 31, only, and the participle past of the verb Ezra x. 14, Nehemiah x. 34 (35) 13, 21; it will be seen by an examination of passages that this word differs from מועד, which both Ezra and Nehemiah also use, and which is the common word in the older books for ‘a _sacred_ season’ or ‘feast.’ זמן is a ‘settled time,’ ‘a date.’ Fuerst considers the primary idea of the root is ‘to count.’ It is clear that מועד would not have suited this context; this of course so far weakens any argument for the late date of this work as derived from the use of this word), =and a time= (general, the common word) =to all= (repeated, and therefore emphatic, equal ‘that is to all’) =providences= (חפץ, which, however, has the signification desire as well, ‘a satisfactory undertaking therefore;’ Koheleth uses the word technically with a reference to the divine providences of God. The word occurs chapter iii. 1, 17, v. 4 (3), 8 (7), viii. 6, xii. 1, 10. The LXX. here render πρᾶγμα, but chapter xii. θέλημα) =under the heavens= (this meaning of חפץ may account for one use of this phrase here instead of the more usual ‘under the sun,’――heaven being perhaps employed as we sometimes use it, for God’s providence under heaven). 2 A time ¹to be born, and a │ (1.) A time to be born, and time to die; a time to plant, │ a time to die; and a time to pluck up _that │ which_ is planted; │ (2.) A time to plant, and a │ time to root up that which is ¹ _Hebrew_ to bear. │ planted; (2.) =A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up the planted.= 3 A time to kill, and a time │ (3.) A time to slay, and a to heal; a time to break down, │ time to heal; and a time to build up; │ │ (4.) A time to break walls, │ and a time to build them up; (3.) =A time for slaying, and a time for healing; a time for breaking down, and a time for building up.= 4 A time to weep, and a time │ (5.) A time to weep, and a to laugh; a time to mourn, and │ time to laugh; a time to dance; │ │ (6.) A time to cry, and a │ time to play;